The Poultry Keeper

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

Do hens, who don't have cockerels with them, get broody?

LL xx

CP · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:40 am Post subject:

Yes! They're not very bright! Embarassed

stephen · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 10:45 am Post subject:

Yes, quite happily they'll get broody, and even drag apples in to go with the eggs and try and hatch them, too Smile

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

Oh dear!

I don't think I have a broody chicken or anything, just interested!

Thanks for your replies.

LL xx

mojo · Posted: Sun Oct 16, 2005 11:41 am Post subject: hi

remember there are no silly questions only stupid answers...........but you do need a coq if you want chicks....heheheheh.....mojo

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

they also pull in everyone else's eggs, so that they're sat on a veritable mountain by the end of the day (hopefully the fertile ones have been marked!).

LisaLou · Joined: 10 Sep 2005 Posts: 109 Location: Herts

I'd quite like to have a go at hatching my own eggs using a broody hen rather than in an incubator, but I have a few issues...

1. I don't have a cockerel (had to be careful how I typed that!)
2. I don't want a cockerel!
3. I could buy fertile eggs when one of my girls seems broody (if that happens obviously)
4. I am not at home a lot of the time so wouldn't be able to keep an eye on the babies while they were very young.
5. I don't want a cockerel at the moment so I wouldn't know what to do with the boy babies if I got any.

I guess I will wait for a couple of years until I get my house in the country with a bit of land to get a cockerel. That's got a few benefits, not least that I will only be working part time then so I'll be around at home more.

I'll also (hopefully) know a bit more about chickens and be a bit more confident about giving it a go!

LL xx

jooles · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:19 am Post subject:

I'd love to hatch some eggs too but have similar issues to you LisaLou (other than the being at home bit). But I haven't a hope in hell of getting a house in the country unless someone gives me one (NannyP Very Happy

). So I think I will have to console myself with hearing about everyone else's successes. Sad

NannyP · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:40 pm Post subject:

Sorry Jooles, can't give it away Wink

I decided that I wanted to hatch some eggs and realised I'd have to think about the consequences of that. I am lucky, one of my employees was bought up on a farm and will do the business for me in a few weeks. Then, I justn have to work out how to eat em Shocked

I am both excited and intrigued to know what they taste like, since they have been free ranged and will taste as chicken should, and I am dreading actually knowing who I'm eating (well, it could be one of 3, I won't know anymore than that). So, if you can get those things sorted out, you can eat the excess cockerels Shocked

jooles · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 3:46 pm Post subject:

mojo · Posted: Mon Oct 17, 2005 9:18 pm Post subject: hi

remember give your chooks names(eggs and fun) Dont name chickens(food for you) then you dont get to eat henrietta or henry

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

Of the chicks I've had from the broodies, I haven't named any that I thought could be boys. The last one ~ the silkie ~ it appears that it should be a she ~ it still doesn't have a comb, but has a boy's hairdo. But was advised by a member on here who breeds them it is more likely a girl as it still has no comb at 20 weeks ~ now it can have a name ~ its golden so 'marmalade' is her name.

Aussie Chick · Posted: Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:18 am Post subject:

I hope she doesn't crow in the morning!! Shocked

summayah · Joined: 14 Apr 2005 Posts: 4289 Location: luton

me too. I went and sat in the pen for a while this morning whilst I was filling up the water and had a close look at her ~ still no rose thingy just flat as a pancake, so I live in hope